ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף ירמיהו 1:6

בינו שנות דור ודור, “understand the years of generation after generation.” They should understand what occurred ever since the Shechinah made its home within them. This is reflected in ימצאהו בארץ מדבר, “when He found it (the people) in a land of desolation.” The word יצב in יצב גבולות עמים, is to be understood as an infinitive (see Ibn Ezra) similar in meaning to the word להציב. We find the word דבר, i.e. dabber, also used as an infinitive in לא ידעתי דבר (Jeremiah 1,8). The meaning of the full verse then is: “when G’d assigned to the various nations lands as their respective inheritance, and when He separated their languages, as described about the descendants of Noach in Genesis chapter 11, etc.” You will find that in that chapter 70 descendants of Noach are listed. These are the founders of the 70 nations the sages always speak of. You will reflect on the fact that when your patriarch Yaakov descended to Egypt his clan comprised 70 members born to him or his children. G’d did not select for His own inheritance more than these 70 people whom He set apart to become His people. This is the meaning of the words כי חלק ה' עמו, “for Hashem’s portion is His people” (verse 9).
Some commentators explain the words גבולות עמים which we translated as “the nations’ boundaries” to mean instead: “the diagonal lines assigned to the world,” i.e. the division of the globe into 12 areas governed by different constellations. The words: “for His people are G’d’s share,” would then refer to the fact that the fate of the Jewish people is not governed by such constellations, but that G’d personally decides on the fates of individual Jews. This verse then would be the clearest proof that the fates of the Jewish people are not subject to the influences of the stars but are decided by higher forces. No other nation has achieved such a status, as is spelled out by David in Psalms 147,20: “He did not do so for any other nation.”

Some people have asserted that set [Hebrew: yaṣṣev] is a verbal noun, like “Lo, I cannot speak [Hebrew: dabber]” [Jeremiah 1: 6]. Others have suggested that it is a verb in the future tense taking the place of one in the past tense, as in “they made a calf in Ḥorev” [Psalms 106: 19]. In my opinion, however, “ask your father” [: 7] and “your elders” [: 7] are references to the learned, and the meaning of the current passage is similar to that in “God has allotted them” [4: 19] — namely, that to every component of the terrestrial world there is a corresponding component in the supernal world. ...

The passage which follows offers great difficulties. The Christians refer it to Jesus, and explain my servant to indicate the body. This is wrong; the body cannot be wise, even during the life of man. Again, what is the meaning of he shall see his seed (53:10), he shall prolong his days (ib.)? This was not in fact the case. Again, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong (53:12).²⁰This, if taken literally, was not the case; if in any figurative sense, the whole argument is destroyed which is based on the supposition of a minute coincidence of the facts here predicted with the incidents in the life of Jesus. The best proof,²¹ראיה גמורה means literally a perfect or complete proof. The first proof was a negative one, but the proof introduced with these words is a positive one that the chapter refers to Israel or to the prophet. however, is the circumstance that this passage is preceded by the Lord will go before you, etc., which undoubtedly refers to the Israelites, and is followed by Sing, O barren, etc., which is likewise addressed to the Israelites. My servant. The Israelites, who are the servants of the Lord, and are now in exile. Many believe that Messiah is meant by this expression, because our ancient teachers said that Messiah was born on the day on which the temple was destroyed, that he was, as it were, bound in chains, etc.;²²Comp. Midrash Rabba, Echa 1:16. The passage must be taken in a figurative sense, namely, that on the day on which the temple was destroyed, it was already decreed, by the Almighty that it should again be rebuilt, but that the restoration would be dependent on the return of the Israelites to God and to His word. but many verses in this passage cannot be explained on this supposition. Comp. He is despised and rejected of men, he was taken from prison and judgment, and he made his grave with the wicked, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days. The Gaon R. Saadiah refers the whole passage to Jeremiah. His explanation is beautiful; he says: he shall scatter many nations by his words, by his prophecy. Comp. Jer. 1:10. As a tender plant. Jeremiah was young when he began to prophesy (Jer. 1:6). And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of all of us; he took away the sin of many. Comp. Remember that I stood before thee, to speak good for them, and to turn away the wrath from them (ibid. 18:20). He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter. Comp. But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter (ibid. 11:19). And he shall divide the spoil with the strong. Jeremiah received presents and gifts from the Babylonian chief of the guard (ibid. 40:5). But I think that this passage must be connected with the chapters that procede and follow. What reason is there for mentioning Jeremiah here after some of the comforting prophecies, and before others of the same kind ? The singular, my servant, is used because the prophet speaks of every one that is a servant of the Lord and suffers in exile, or because ישראל עבדי ═ )עבדי my servant Israel,) refers to the whole nation; the latter reason is more probable.